A lot depends on how we perceive the world. Our reaction to
anything is basically a reflection of our perception. As C.S. Lewis says, what
we see or what we hear depends on what sort of person we are. Hence our
perception of others is in fact a reflection of our own self.
We never like or hate something or
someone. We create an image of that person or that thing in our mind and like
or hate that image. Now take example of Akbar, the Mughal Emperor. Talk of
Deen-e-Ilaahi or the lore of Jodha-Akbar (controversial?? ) and you can imagine
Akbar as a hero, a protagonist. Now remember the Akbar-Birbal stories we have
read in childhood. What is the image of Akbar now? Most probably he will appear
as an old man who is quite a simpleton. Now remember the epic cinema
Mughal-e-Azam. Hows the image now? Is it
a stubborn, ruthless villain who disapproves of Saleem and Anarkali’s love? So
we basically know three different Akbars. A hero, a neutral person and a
villain. Why? Because as per the given context, we perceive him differently,
and contrastingly.
Our perception is a function of the
information we have, our ability to analyze and utilize it and our past
experiences, biases and prejudices which impact the images in our mind. Every
person has a mental framework of past experiences in which we try to fit in the
information obtained using our analytical skills. This happens subconsciously
most of the times. Wrong perceptions can therefore be created because of a
problem in any of these three attributes.
There exists an intricate link
between perceptions and rationality. A more rational mind tries to filter out
only correct information, uses analytical skills sharply and minimizes the
prejudices. Thus, the real issue is not perception, but how personal the perception
is. Our perceptions are always influenced by external factors. These biases
come mainly from the cultural underpinnings. The perceptions are created and
distorted in a quite strange way!
Most
of our mistakes are in fact mistakes of perception. This is especially true for
errors in interpersonal relations. We handle our emotions within the frame of
our perceptions. The ability to handle
our emotions is nothing but Emotional Intelligence. What complicates the discourse
is the fact that emotions are often registered as patterns. And a slight change
in perception can cause huge repercussions on the patterns of emotions.
We
need to understand that the perceived world is different from real world. This
alters human actions significantly. In Human Geography, there is a classic case
of a horse-rider who rides over a huge expanse of snow only to know later that
it was a frozen river. He would have not crossed it had he known the truth. But
this is how perception works. Many feats of bravery have been performed under a
wrong perception.
It is said that there are three
truths- your truth, my truth and the real truth. Because of perceptions, we try
to identify with one truth somewhere between this continuum. Its upto us that
how rationally we perceive the world and then react accordingly.
“The world isn't just the way it is. It is how
we understand it. And in understanding something, we bring something to it.
Doesn't that make life a story? You must take life the way it comes at you and
make the best of it.” ~ Yann Martel, Life of Pi.
